Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multiposition switch adapted to be operably positioned in any of the multipositions which are aligned and spaced with respect to each other in two different directions.
Some of multiposition switches of this type have been known and are used, for example, as a combination switch for operating both a dimmer and a direction indicator of a motorbicycle. One type of known multiposition switches has first and second groups of positions; the first group of positions are aligned and spaced from each other in a first direction and are selected when a first contact holder is moved by the operation of an operation knob. The second group of positions are aligned and spaced from each other in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and are selected when the second contact holder is moved, at a neutral position of the first contact holder, in the second direction by the operation of the operation knob. The first and second contact holders are slidably inserted between a switch case and an insulator member and the insulator member supports many stationary contacts fixed thereon which are disposed in such a way that, when one position between the first and second positions is chosen, a particular connection relationship is formed between connections which are defined as combinations between stationary contacts supported by the insulator member and first and second switching contacts supported respectively by said first and second contact holders. Such a conventional multiposition switch has some disadvantages in that it is difficult to fix each of the many stationary contacts exactly at a predetermined position on said insulator member and therefore the cost needed for manufacturing the switch is tend to increase.
One object of the present invention is to provide a multiposition switch having a structure which is adapted to be manufactured without any difficulty by mounting and fixing stationary contacts onto an insulator member for supporting the stationary contacts.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a multiposition switch including a plurality of stationary contacts being insert-molded together with the insulator member in a predetermined arrangement.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method or a structure which is capable of fixing the plurality of stationary contacts simultaneously and exactly onto predetermined positions of the insulator member.